Main Course Recipes

Yesterday, we had a healthy meal. I worked out for an hour and felt good. But today to hell with exercise! We haven't had macaroni & cheese since Thanksgiving and the kids were asking for it. And when I say kids, I mean my husband.

We always make mac and cheese from scratch, and after trying this recipe, you will too. Say goodbye to those blue boxes of powdered synthetic "cheese" product.

To bring more flavor to an ordinary mac and cheese, I use an herb-infused butter. I picked oregano, tarragon, dill and thyme. This is what I have left in my herb garden from this past season. You can mix and match whatever other herbs or spices you want like basil, chives, marjoram or even garlic and chili. Have fun and create your own unique flavor.

For Mac & Cheese, use any kind of tube-shaped pasta so that it can be coated inside and out with all the cheesy goodness. For this particular preparation, I used the typical elbow-shaped pasta.

I'm trying to get everyone healthier so I opted for a light meal today. I decided to make a lima beans leek tartelette served with a green salad. Leeks are a nice substitute for onions and lima beans are a great source of protein. They are full of magnesium which helps control hypertension and prevent cardiovascular disease and contain folate which helps your body defend against cancer.

This recipe is in honor of my mom, who would serve "un poulet rôti" every week when I was growing up. My dad was all for the breast and neck, my mom for the wings, my little brother and big sister and I were all crazy about the thighs and the most succulent part: the "soliles" - in English it is referred to as the "oyster" of the chicken. It's the little oval pieces of dark meat next to the thighs that you can find on each side of the carcass.

To make this recipe, I've combined the tips and secrets from all the mamas that I know. Regardless of which part of the chicken is your favorite, you are guaranteed to produce a moist, crispy-skinned chicken. It takes time to prepare, but the results are well worth the wait. The chicken may look fantastic, but I guarantee that by the end of the meal you'll have rolled up your sleeves and will be sucking every last drop of goodness from the leftover bones. Vegetarians, avert your eyes!

Some of the tastiest things in life are made of few simple ingredients. Gratin dauphinois is one of those dishes. It consists of just potatoes, cream, cheese and butter, with a little salt and fresh cut herbs as garnish. Ok, it's not the healthiest meal in the world but that's why they invented treadmills.

When it comes out of the oven, hissing and bubbling, you and your guests are definitely in for a treat. Having a simple recipe like this gratin dauphinois in your culinary arsenal can help you out when you're pressed for time or when you have unexpected guests, which is often my case.

My hubby is feeling a little under the weather today. I wanted to give him some comfort food. Risotto is one of his favorite dishes; I make it very often when it's cold. It's very creamy, cozy and hearty. The basics of the risotto is always the same, typically you'll add 2 to 3 ingredients to the base to create your own signature risotto.